They very easily could re-name Stable 45 to Stable 56. Judging by the success the Boynton Beach, Florida-based stable is enjoying, however, there’s probably no sense in messing with the chemistry at this point
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Stable 45 is in its 11th year of operation, the nom de course of Eugene Kurzrok and his wife Barbara as well as Marcia Gingold and her husband Richard. Eugene Kurzrok has been an owner since the mid-1970s and in 2001 he talked his next-door neighbours, the Gingolds, to move from New York to Florida and create Stable 45.
“We were both married 45 years at the time we did it,” said Eugene Kurzrok of the stable’s naming.
Being partners did nothing to hurt the marriages as both partners are now in their 56th year of bliss. But there are other reasons for keeping the name the same.
“My son’s football number was 45,” Kurzrok said. “And the home I lived in up north, the street number was 45. So that just seemed to be a number that comes around all the time.”
Stable 45 is home to Rocklamation, a four-year-old pacing mare also owned by Our Horse Cents Stables (Kurzrok, Stephen Springer and Richard Taylor) and Jerry Silva. Trained by Ron Burke, she has won four of eight races this year and earned $115,410. For her career, she has won 10 of 40 starts and $543,286.
On Saturday night (April 28), Rocklamation will face seven rivals in the $297,000 Blue Chip Matchmaker Series final for older female pacers at Yonkers Raceway. She was the leading points scorer in the Matchmaker’s five preliminary rounds, thanks to three wins and two second-place finishes. Rocklamation has drawn post position two in the final and will be driven by Yannick Gingras.
With the help of trainer Mark Harder, Rocklamation (Rocknroll Hanover-Art Sale) was picked out and purchased for $50,000 as a yearling at the 2009 Standardbred Horse Sale. Harder began training her “and did a great job with her,” Kurzrok said. Rocklamation is now being trained by Burke while Harder works with Golden Receiver, another of Stable 45’s standout horses.
Kurzrok considers Rocklamation “one of the better horses we’ve had,” which is high praise considering he had Cayster, the 1989 Two-Year-Old Filly Trotter of the Year in the U.S., and Bon Vivant, who was sold to connections in Europe after earning more than $500,000 in North America.
“Rocklamation is a nice horse to be around,” Kurzrok said. “She has really filled out this year and looks absolutely wonderful. She has a good size and you couldn’t ask for a better looking mare.
“She’s a four-year-old primarily facing older horses and she’s just growing in that game right now, so to speak.”
Kurzrok won’t make any predictions about Saturday, just saying, “There are some great horses out there, anyone can win it.”
When asked his impressions of Rocklamation’s performance, he adds, “she’s living up to every expectation I ever had.”
Overall, Kurzrok, who splits his time living in New York and Florida, owns 18 horses from among the stables he operates. His children -- Scott, Howard and Stephanie Grossman -- operate Sibling Stable in the New York/Philadelphia area.
Stable 45, along with Taylor, Springer and Nina Simmonds, owns Golden Receiver, who has enjoyed a standout season so far. Golden Receiver, a seven-year-old gelding pacer, has won eight of nine races and $246,350this season and is the sport’s leading money-winner this year. He swept the Spring Pacing Championship at Woodbine and the Presidential Series at the Meadowlands.
“He went down the road in every one; he’s never been headed except for one race where he finished third,” Kurzrok said. “That was a race we brought him back after a layoff.
“He’s got all the great races in front of him. At the age of seven, he’s gotten bigger and stronger and is just like a different horse between six and seven. He’s always been a nice horse, but he’s now a very special horse.”
And Stable 45 seems to have some pretty special ownership considering the success it has had. Enough success that there is no sense tampering with things now, no matter how long those marriages last.
The following is the field in post position order for the $297,000 Blue Chip Matchmaker final, with listed drivers and trainers:
1. See You At Peelers, Brian Sears, Jimmy Takter
2. Rocklamation, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke
3. Anndrovette, Tim Tetrick, P.J. Fraley
4. Fox Valley Sage, Cat Manzi, Ralph Andersen
5. Ginger And Fred, Jason Bartlett, Burke
6. Billmar Scooter, Eric Goodell, Amber Buter
7. Chancey Lady, Andy Miller, Fraley
8. Western Silk, George Brennan, Andrew Harris
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.